InsaneJournal

Thread: Living Dead Halloween
WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: Halloween night, October 31st
WHERE: School grounds, the graveyard, the woods, the dorms

Barclay observed the clouds. It had been a cold, crisp day, perfectly suited for autumn and hallowe’en. Tomorrow, it would rain, he knew: the trees had whispered it to him, far more attuned to the weather patterns than he was. Tonight, it would remain dry.

A wind whipped up, sending a chill across the graveyard. Some people burrowed deeper into their coats. None of them were teachers, who were standing vigil. Solemn. It was about time. The sun was almost gun. Barclay looked around, teachers and Experts surrounding him. Most students avoided the graveyard, too busy doing prepwork for Halloween, but among Experts, it was tradition to be there when the dead rose from their graves. A last adieu, if you will.

Barclay could feel Ashton’s presence behind him, knowing how the dragon would look: serious and curious. Leon was a few steps away. Barclay wondered if it was weird for him, seeing how he had attended this last year, together with Mickey. Tonight, he was here, attending it with his sire, who stood behind the fangling, looking grim. Like a thug, but grim. And then there were the teachers: Ms. Stheno with her snakes curled up, Mr. Pheres with his arms crossed, Mr. Farrowe, Mr. Kaden, Ms. Hallowfen… Barclay would miss them, he realized. His eyes found Ms. Menides who was looking… almost sad. He had never seen her look sad. Stern, disappointed, kind, yes. Sad? No.

It was disconcerting.

They rose like smoke from the graves, strands of thin ethereal white that slowly shaped themselves into human-like shapes of silvery grey and translucent blue. A teacher with a fiddle started playing La Danse Macabre and, simultaneously, a low voice joined in. It sounded like a dirge. Barclay didn’t just hear the music: he could feel it, shivering down his spine, making goosebumps on his skin. The spirits assembled around Mr. Cavanaugh, the singer, waiting for him to finish. Like the living, they were paying their respects.

Barclay watched them, these ghosts, these memories of tales that ended unhappily. A pale, thin man with a commanding presence - Barclay thought he recognized him from one of the paintings in the hallways. A sad-looking maid with an apron and a bonnet, her wrists cut open and a silvery light pouring out. A Native American man covered in tattoos and scars, who reminded Barclay of how Leon used to be. That poor teacher who hadn’t survived an encounter with the Wendigo. And Jonah.

When Mr. Cavanaugh noticed him, his voice halted for a moment.

Ms. Menides walked towards her deceased student as the song ended and the ghosts started making their way towards the school, following path of the warm yellow lights that would lead them to the dorms and the school buildings. Barclay knew most of them would go to the Pegasus house, where the living and the dead gathered and communed. The living shared a meal while the dead could share their experiences.

Like always, the spirits would avoid House Hydra, which had made a proper haunted house. The theme this year was Haunted Hospital, adopting a proper bent way to their house of horrors. Crazy nurses, insane doctors, and ghosts haunting the hospital corridors… This year, they were going for traditional horror, fewer magic tricks to scare everyone. You didn’t need tricks when you had doctors with bloodied aprons and zombie nurses with sharp scissors. House Kitsune had been turned into a paradise for AV geeks, with their movies and video games. This year, their house had been themed towards dance games, mixing it up. House Sphinx would be all about the board games, though rumor had it that they’d rigged their basement as a laser gaming hall. There'd be poker tables as well, though the students had to bet with M&M's, not money.

And then you had House Ladon, which is where most everyone alive ended up to see the sun rise. It was where they built the bonfire and where the music was the loudest and the most danceable. Usually, students were the music-makers, the most promising disk jockeys getting about an hour to get everyone dancing. No matter how vigilant the teachers were, there was always some way to get alcohol. Even Mr. Kaden’s presence couldn’t avoid that, though he tried. It might have something to do with the fact that every year, all the teachers gathered here during the crucial hour before the festivities started. Ladons weren't known for their intelligence, but when it came to creatively breaking the rules, they were a match for most Hydras.

Barclay watched most people - both living and dead - leave, except for Ms. Menides and Jonah. A few teachers lingered there as well, watching. The teacher and her former stood there, looking at each other. Nothing was said, but it seemed something was happening. Barclay could feel the prickle of it. And finally, after a few quiet, tense moments, both Jonah and Ms. Menides chanced a small smile.

That was the signal. The last remaining people in the graveyard left for the school. Barclay took Ashton’s hand and they went back to their House. It was time to get to work.